


Too lust in you

by GirlWolfTattoo



Category: Fate/Apocrypha, Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Blood Drinking, Blood Kink, Dark Magic, Dubious Consent, F/M, Holy Grail War (Fate), Human/Vampire Relationship, Light BDSM, Love Triangles, Mana Transfer, Master/Servant, No Underage Sex, OTP Feels, Partner Betrayal, Vampire Bites, astolfo is cute, darnic is an asshole
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:14:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23084596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GirlWolfTattoo/pseuds/GirlWolfTattoo
Summary: “Could someone love a beast, a monster like me? I, whom walked upon the blood of my enemies, am worth enough to be caressed for the white, pure hands of a beloved creature?” Lancer of Black and a complicated situation between him, his Master and a shared partner.
Relationships: Vlad III | Berserker/Reader, Vlad III | Lancer of Black/Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, darnic prestone yggdmillennia/original character, original female character/lancer of black, vlad iii | lancer of black/original female character
Kudos: 14





	1. The vessel

Astolfo’s finger sliced over the page with a lewd gesture, an amused smile on his lips as a purr came from his mouth. Never thought a little pink book could be so funny and… conveniently obscene. Alas, if his Master could find that book, she surely would become hotter than a tea kettle on the stove.  
Someone knocked at his door, Astolfo’s eyes looked askance at it. His Master never knocked before entering, it must be someone else. The pink haired man put the book under a pillow carefully before calling out:  
“Yes, come in!”  
The door’s hole showed the small figure of a young woman, holding a paper bag in one hand as the other opened the door to enter the room. Astolfo smiled, she was one of his favorite humans, mostly because she was always nice and kind with the Servants, unlike their own Masters used to do.  
“Good afternoon, Astolfo” she greeted, closing the door.  
“Hey there, Regina!” he answered. “What you got there? It is for me?”  
“Sort of… I went to the town for some supplies and… there was this new bakery…”  
“Let me see!” without waiting for an answer, Astolfo jumped right onto the bag, grabbing it with feverish fingers and pulling out a perfectly rounded, still warm cinnamon roll. “Oh, it looks so exquisite!... What is this?”  
“A cinnamon roll, sir.” Regina took a sit in front of the utterly excited Servant, crossing her hands over her lap as Astolfo took a bite from the bread. His face went from a surprised grimace to pure happiness.  
“So… delicious!” he managed to say before half eating the rest of the bread in a single move. “It is… amazing… so soft…!”  
“I’m glad you enjoy it, sir.”  
“Oh, no, please, stop that sir stuff” Astolfo replied, licking the sugar from his mouth corners. “Call me Astolfo, or Rider if it suits you better.”  
“Forgive me, si… Rider” Regina corrected herself quickly.   
“I always wondered why aren’t you a Master. No offense to our Masters, but you seem too accurate for that work…”  
Regina lowered her eyes, staring at her hands. Yes, she was more than able to become a Master, but… things weren’t as she planned.  
“Take a look at this”, Darnic said, showing her the open wooden box in which a relic rested, in wait for awaken their owner.  
“Such a small relic… Must be hard to find” she answered.  
“Not in this land, but yes, it is truly invaluable, and I would never give up this relic to a half category mage”.   
The Yggdmillenia patriarch walked around Regina, a half smile on his lips. She knew it, he was being indulgent but still bossy, because she refused to give him what he wanted, because she wasn’t ready to become one of his faithful follower.  
“Too bad we cannot find a good Master for this one, don’t you think, Regina?” There was mocking in his voice, and she felt it.  
“So… what are you going to do with this, my lord?”  
“If you want to things go fine, you must do it for yourself” Darnic claimed. “I’ll be the Master for this Servant, and we shall get the victory in this war together, as one.”  
Regina opened her eyes in bewilderment.   
“My lord, I thought you didn’t want to participate… The Yggdmillenia’s heritage depends of you…”  
“Yes, it is true, but the victory is part of our survival and development. What kind of leader would be if I just hid in the shadows of this castle, sending my beloved family to fight against the Clock Tower?”   
The way he said it was so sublime and noble –minded Regina believed on him for a moment.   
“Since you aren’t ready to bear the family’s magical seals I will take this bear off of you and take it on myself. But still, Regina, I do hope you’ll be a valuable help when the casting is done.”  
“Me? What should I do, my lord?”  
“The best you can do, my dear girl…” Darnic smilled at her, a bright, sweet smile in which his cold and cruel eyes didn’t took part.  
The paper bag fell on the floor, Astolfo was covered in sugar and melted cinnamon but seemed very happy with himself.  
“Such a perfect snack… My Master tends to give me her own mana very often but I’m a lover of good food. Thank you again, Regina”.  
“You’re welcome, Rider. Anyway, I should leave before miss Celenike finds me here.”  
“Oh, you’re right… I can’t undertand why visits are forbidden for me… Oh!”   
Something hit the floor next to Regina’s feet. She hurried to pick it and saw it was a pink covered book. Astolfo went from cool to hyper as she held the book.  
“You’re reading this, Rider?”   
“Eeeeh, no! I mean, yes! No, not really, I just borrowed it from someone else!” Astolfo shook his hands as he tried to reach the book. Regina was puzzled, never saw someone react in that way for taking their book.  
“It’s okay… Here”  
As soon as Rider got the book, he proceeded to hide it under his pillow, letting a heavy sight come from his chest. Regina just blinked, clueless about what happened.  
“I, uh… I must leave, then. Have a nice night, Rider.”  
“Yes… you too, Regina.”  
After the mage left the room, Astolfo took the book once again, searching for the page he was reading before. So funny, he thought, how humans nowadays loved writing erotica, mixed with complicated and disgusting relationships and rivalries as it was how true love worked.   
“Could someone love a beast, a monster like me?” he read out loud, using his best dramatic voice for it. “I, whom walked upon the blood of my enemies, am worth enough to be caressed for the white, pure hands of a beloved creature?”  
The sunset sneaked through the stretch, long windows. Regina stopped in front of one, catching the sunrays on her skin, her eyes closed as she remembered her days in London, along with her family. They weren’t so different from the Yggdmillenia, their magic used to be enormous and important for the Clock Tower, until it started to trip in the last century and their reputation sank in favor of other families like the Archibald or Animusphere. That’s when they sent her to the brilliant, yet mysterious head of a family from Eastern Europe which tended to adopt minor magicians and teach them all they knew. That’s how she ended up living with Darnic and his group since she was 13.  
And now, the Holy Grail war was about to start, and she was a witness of the future madness they will have to resist in their own land. But Darnic was a lot of things except an idiot. When he talked about the perfect Servant, he wasn’t hectoring.   
The casting circle shone with the strength of one thousand stars, bathed in a grim red light. Darnic held his hand like a well prepared magician, but Regina saw his face and knew he wasn’t having a good time, the amount of magic flowing in the room was enough to blunt the senses and shiver the body. A figure emerged from the circle, and before they could even get if it was a man or woman, or even a human, Darnic chuckled and yelled:  
“Look, here it is! This is the Lancer of the victory!”  
A sharp laugh came from his lips, a cold, psychotic laugh that froze the blood in Regina’s veins. Then, the casting circle vanished, and Darnic fell to the floor with a deaf sound. Regina approached him.  
“Lord!” she screamed, kneeling in front of Darnic and holding him into her arms, the leader of Yggdmillenia seemed a little stunned, and his breathing was fast and superficial, but managed to speak.  
“Don’t worry, my girl… I’m capable of this and more… much more…”  
But yet she had to help Darnic to stand up. In front of them a shadowed figure stared at the blue haired man, and a deep, shivering voice, called:  
“Me, who had answered to the Grial’s call, must ask thou… It is you whom I shall call my Master?”  
The mist around the Servant vanished. Regina stared at a tall, blond man, dressed in a deep blue robe decorated with soft furs. His eyes were a bright yellow color, and all of his features exuded cruelty, refinement and intelligence. Her heart made a jump, that Servant looked so much like Darnic, and yet, he was more fascinating, scarier and more attractive in a lot of ways.  
“My name is Darnic Prestone Yggdmillenia, and I am your Master” he proclaimed, giving a bow to the cheerless Servant. “I hail you, and present to you back to your land, Lancer, Vlad the Third”.  
Regina looked at Darnic, and then at the Lancer. She knew him, at least as much as anybody else could knew him. He was better known by another name… and by another shape.  
So it was Darnic’s diabolic plan, to cast a dangerous Servant. A vampire.  
“Please, I beg you pardon for my lack of form to welcome you, sir” the mage continued. “I’ve been working on giving energy to another Servant since his Master is too young and callow…”   
Regina knew he was talking about Caster, the terrifying Golem master who monopolized the homunculus energy for his work. However, all of her thoughts disappeared as she casted attention to the silent Servant.   
“If this is my land” he spoke again, “then I shall no worry about the magical energy, for all in this place is coated by my strength and my legend.”  
“Of course it is, sir, but I insist… Since you will need mana to last in this place until the end of the war, I shall present you an alternative…”   
Darnic closed his hand around Regina’s wrist, making her give a few steps forward. Lancer put his attention on her, without a change on his gesture.   
“This is my ally, Regina Sangnight, you can probably notice her magical traces are extremely powerful, yet not enough to cast a Servant by herself…” Darnic pointed, like he wanted to keep superiority in front of Lancer. “She has helped me to maintain enough mana to cast this circle and take you back to this place with all of your powers intact and ready to fight, and she shall remain like this for the end of the war.”  
For the very first time, Lancer changed his grimace, darting his eyes to Darnic.  
“What are you saying, Darnic Yggdmillenia? Are you offering me a personal battery, or something more vicious?”  
The way he said that made Regina tremble. Darnic, on the other hand, seemed pleased with that question.  
“Do as you please, sir. She’ll provide you mana when I am not around, in the form that suits you the most.”  
But Lancer didn’t seemed happy with that words.  
“I shall tell you one thing or two before our contract is complete.” The authority in his voice was powerful, it was obvious this wasn’t a man who tolerates insubordination. “I’ve been through a lot of misconceptions and malicious rumors, all of them created with the intention of erase and damage my image, and I won’t tolerate any of them on my presence, not even from my Master and that includes any belief you have about the way I must… collect my energy.”  
Darnic cleared his throat and made a tiny bow.  
“I had offended you without intention, sir, forgive me.”   
“You’re forgiven, Darnic, but don’t forget my words.”   
“I will not. Now, if you permit me, I will show you my place. You’ll see it is well prepared for the defense in this war…”  
The two men walked away, and Regina, with the heart and mind confused, stared there where the circle was casted.  
“I am an instrument” Regina murmured, the Moon standing out in the darkened sky. “I am just a vessel for the needs of the Yggdmillenia’s leader, and a source of energy. But still…”  
But still she felt different since the day Lancer was casted. She continued giving Darnic her magical energy, and so Darnic was able to give mana to his Servant, and it was also true Regina and Lancer didn’t use to spend time together, besides the one she was along with Darnic as her apprentice. But it was something in the way she felt, the way she noticed the things when Lancer was around, she began to feel different about the castle, the people in it and the Servants.  
Perhaps, Lancer had influence in her because she was like an extension of Darnic himself, even they looked a little alike, despite her hair was darker and her eyes, more colorful. But the thing was everything seemed better since Lancer was casted, the air was fresher, the castle was more beautiful, the Moon was brighter… and her heart didn’t feel alone anymore.  
She pressed a hand against her heart. The Moon was so beautiful tonight… and the war hadn’t started yet. She still had time to spend with these renewed family, with Rider despite the silent threat of his Master, with Fiore and her brother… and…   
“Good evening, miss Regina.”  
She turned back her head and her heart went crazy into her chest. Lancer was staring at her, bathed in the moonlight.


	2. Blood is the life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A vessel who serves more than one Master.

“G –good evening, my lord” she bowed at the Servant, trying to control her pulse. “Are you looking for mister Darnic?”  
“I don’t need to be stick to him all the time, I have my own agenda” Lancer replied, crossing arms on his chest.   
“Forgive me, sir.”   
Lancer just made a grunt.  
“I’ve heard you’ve been spending more time with other Servants, thought Darnic admits he didn’t send you to do such things.”  
“You probably heard that from miss Celenike, isn’t it?” Regina kept her eyes looking at the floor. “I enjoy company from the people in this castle, but my pairs use to be very busy during the day.”  
“You used to be locked into your place as long as Darnic didn’t have you walking with him. Is strange, since you’re his vessel for magical energy.”  
She was a vessel, just a vessel, and even Vlad thought that. The words weren’t meant to be hurtful, but she felt worse than never, and remained silent.   
“Uh, not speaking now? I believe Darnic has a strong influence upon you to keep mute even when he isn’t around.”  
“It’s not Darnic who makes me mute, my prince…” Regina thought, shaking her head. “You’re wrong, my lord, I’m not used to speak more than is needed. That’s what a vessel must do, to obey their masters and grant them what they need.”  
“You don’t believe in that, do you?” Lancer lifted an eyebrow.   
“Uh?”  
“If you do, you’d never been walking by the places of the other Servants without a better reason but being… hospitable.”  
“I don’t talk with all the Servants, my lord. It is mostly Rider and Archer sometimes… The rest are almost as busy as their Masters.”  
“So amazing… Darnic offered you as a mana giver to me, and yet we aren’t having a bound as the rest of the Servants.”  
Regina lifted her face. Did he say what she thought…?  
“I’m… I’m deeply sorry, my lord!” she stuttered, giving a desperate bow. “I thought you rather spend time with Darnic since he’s your Master and the leader of us…”  
Lancer blinked and approached Regina. His white hand made its way to her chin, lifting it so he could face her. Even like that, he was able to feel her raising pulse, her face was like a fresh tomato.  
“In the future, I hope we can build a better relationship, even if you’re not my Master, your energy mixes with Darnic’s and gives me all the power I need to protect and guide to the others, and I won’t forget that. But tell me, Regina, are you afraid of me?”  
“What?” she retracted, noticing a cold sweat running from her neck “Of… of course not, I am not…”  
“I hope so, I cannot have an ally who’s scared of her own lord.” Lancer turned back and walked through the hall. “Have a nice evening, miss Regina, and better be focused on making your boundaries grow.”  
Regina pressed her hands against her chest, smiling as the figure of Lancer was devoured by the shadows. She and Darnic give him the mana enough to remain in physical form as much as he granted, and yet she knew, deep in her guts, it was her the real vessel, not for Darnic, but him, Lancer, her prince…  
Spinning around, Regina went to the opposite hall, thinking about Lancer’s words. he wanted her to be more social with him, and the prince’s words were like sacred orders for everyone, including her.  
…  
Another night ran, and Regina had her arm stretched towards Darnic, who was holding it on his naked chest, the affluence of magic shining weakly and illuminating them with a pale rose light. Certain nights, once or twice a week, the leader of the Yggdmillenia called her to his quarters to take the necessary amount of energy from her, but since the arrival of Lancer and the other Servants, the amount was given more often, sometimes four or five times at week. Every new day, Regina felt more and more weak, and sometimes wondered if Darnic wasn’t just taking mana but actual vitality from her.  
“Vlad can be very meticulous sometimes, do you know, Regina?” the blue haired man spoke, the magic light pulsating like a living heart. “All his tactics to keep the castle protected… sometimes I wonder if he remembers he’s the Servant and not otherwise.”  
“That’s the reason why you need so much mana nowadays, my lord?”  
“Exactly, my girl. Though, to be honest there’s more than one way to feed a Servant of mana, haven’t I explained it to you yet?”  
“I don’t think so, my lord.”  
“Listen carefully”, Darnic smiled and closed his eyes, seemed very pleased with himself. “Mana can be given from mere contact, for being around of your Servant, it’s like they were breathing your same air, hence your magical energy. That’s the most usual, less complicated way, but it can also be done in the form of physical contact, touching each other… Some Masters may see this disgusting for it refers to intimacy, sometimes. But I’m not like them.”  
Regina felt a sharp pain in her chest.  
“Have you… done it, my lord?” she asked.  
“No, not exactly… I don’t need it since I have you, of course.” The man winked at her. “Vlad, on the other hand, has special needs… he won’t set free all of his power until he embraces the sacrifices that must be done for them, until he accepts his Noble Phantasm and agrees to cast it, for our well.”  
“His Noble Phantasm? I thought Kasikli Bey was…”  
“It is, indeed, but he has a more powerful ace under the sleeve… but the man doesn’t want to use it, he thinks it might hurt his… appearance.”  
Darnic barked a laugh. Regina put her arm away, she started to feel dizzy.  
“That’s why I offered you on the first place, Regina.” Darnic explained, darting his eyes upon his apprentice. “A young, beautiful woman… who could resist to the energy she could have running through her veins?”  
“I’m sorry, my lord, I don’t understand.”  
Darnic chuckled.  
“La sang est la vie… The blood is the life, my dear Regina, the power of your family falls upon your bloodline, the heritage you can do through born and blood. Primitive, yes, but stronger than some sorts of modern magic. That’s what pushed me to accept you as my apprentice, I had the hope you accepted the Yggdmillenia seals… and share your with me in return.”  
“But, my lord…” Regina rubbed her arm, it felt cold and stunned “As I told you the last year, the Sangnight cannot give their magical seals in that form, it must be for born or marriage.”  
“Yes, I was thinking on it…” Darnic buttoned his shirt and lay on the soft pillows of his bed. “If Vlad just accepted his destiny and take what I offered… oh, how mighty and unstoppable he could be…”  
“My lord?”  
“Don’t take it personal, Regina, but I was thinking that Lancer could feed directly from you… with your blood.”  
Regina gave a jump. Of course, she thought, Darnic would never lose the chance to prove everything he knew, and despite Lancer had forbidden him to even talk about his “condition”, it was obvious he wouldn’t lose from sight the fact that Vlad was, if not an actual vampire, at least something very similar, the blood lusted prince and warrior whom didn’t doubt on murder thousands of people in such horrible forms.  
She walked to her room, holding from the walls. That night, Darnic seemed to drain more energy than usual, and her head didn’t stop to spin like a crazy, her kneels were shivering and her whole body felt cold and weak. If just Astolfo was there she could ask for help, for the hall seemed endless to walk.  
Her feet failed and found herself laying on the floor, trying to get up. Her night gown was too thin and the cold atmosphere started to make a havoc on her. She thought on using magic to finish the walking, but was too drained of it and it could make her pass out for who knows how many hours.  
“Please… someone…” she whispered, defenseless, crawling through the floor in search of support, her eyes unfocused in the moonlight. Her hand stretched to reach the windowsill, but as soon as she started to stand up, her ankles failed once again and fell, hiting her forehead with the sharp ledge. The stinging pain made her cry as she kept still, trembling and feeling like she was about to faint.  
“Help…” she begged to the dimness, desperate and lonely. She closed her eyes and let the tears leak through her cheeks, the pain as her only companion.   
Suddenly, someone grabbed her, lifting her body and carrying her through the wall. She opened her eyes but they were too fogged to see who was holding her. The smell of fresh dirt and fur hit her nostrils and it was the only thing she noticed before facing the darkness.  
The dizziness became weak after a few minutes, when Regina found herself resting in a bed, covered by a cozy blanket and something she couldn’t recognize, though it had fur in a tiny place. Her eyes opened lazily and saw a figure standing at the moon. It must be the person who found her, and smiled.  
“Thank you…” she whispered before falling in a half sleep.   
The rest of the time she just heard and felt something vague, a finger traveling through her uncovered arm, a voice murmuring words like “brute” and “dangerous”, and then… a painful sting right on the wrist. Regina woke up with a moan, but her body was too weak yet to fight and moved her eyes, desperate to know what were doing to her.  
What she saw was so bizarre she believed it was a dream. Vlad was sitting by the bed’s corner, holding her wrist with one hand and piercing her wrist with the other, a sharp nail digging into the thin flesh. The man was so focused on whatever he was doing he didn’t notice Regina’s eyes fixed on him, terrified but also… ashamed. He was there, her prince was in her room, was he the one who rescued her after the fainting, and carried her with all the care he was able to a safe place?   
“M… my lord…” she muttered “What…?”  
“Be quiet, I need to concentrate. I have no idea if this will work” he cut her as a red light illuminated the place where his nail and her wrist met. Perhaps it was for the blankets or because of Vlad’s closeness, but Regina felt more warm, and also less tired and weak. Her heart was pounding with all its strength as she felt the man’s hand retracting, leaving nothing but a tiny cutting on the flesh.  
“What is this?” she asked again. Vlad started at his finger with curiosity.  
“Interesting, it seems a Servant can also provide mana to a human being” he said.   
“Provide…?”  
“It seems Darnic can be very glutton about magical energy… despite there’s so much another living, normal creature can provide to another. I’m disappointed.”  
“I’m sorry…”  
“No, no with you. If Darnic doesn’t know the importance of measure and self control how can he see the moment when you need to stop fighting, fall back and reorganize your troops for the next round?”  
Regina blinked, amused and intrigued. She knew Vlad didn’t even feel like a Servant, but this was the first time she heard him talk against Darnic’s choices. Was he angry for the way Darnic used her? Could be possible Lancer actually was worried not just for the other Servants, but for her?  
“And you…” Vlad stoop up, Regina saw he wasn’t wearing his coat, “you never let anyone use and abuse you, for any reason. Be more careful with your life, for it is important, and not just for the war, but for you are a magician and your potential hasn’t showed up yet.”  
“I… Yes.” Regina bowed obediently and observed Vlad leaving the room. After that, she hid under the blankets, and touched the weird thing topping the rest. And then found out it was Lancer’s coat. She didn’t miss the chance and brought the coat to her face, rubbing it against her cheeks, breathing hard to catch the smell of it, caressing the fur and the fancywork on it. Yes, once again the castle was beautiful.


	3. Chains are rounded too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darnic is more intelligent than he looks...

“It’s done” Chiron announced to the crowd outside of the castle. “I don’t think Rider can do so much”.  
“Then we shall go and help, I want this Berserker controlled as soon as possible” Darnic replied, giving a quick look to his Servant. Vlad was on a horse, listening to Chiron’s resume of the situation in the forest and nodded.   
“There is more than one Servant of Red outside, we should take our own Berserker and Saber as additional support” the blond man said to Darnic. He bowed in reply and looked at Caules and Gordes, whom nodded in unison before searching for their Servants. “The rest of us, lets get that hideous brute in our power”.  
“My king…” Darnic bowed at Vlad once again “would you mind if I asked you to leave Regina ride with you? The rest of us can follow afoot, but she’s been very weak these days…”  
He was real, Regina wasn’t completely recovered since the last time he drained magical energy from her. Vlad gave her a short look and nodded.   
“Excellent, thank you so much… Regina, come, let me help you…”  
Darnic helped the magician to ride behind Lancer, who gave her some instructions:  
“Press your legs around the horse, don’t be scared, its armor won’t hurt you… You better hold yourself hard, I’m not used to ride softly.”  
Regina hugged Lancer, her face half hiding on his back, feeling suddenly tense. This was the first time she was that close to him, besides the time he carried her to her room, and now she could feel how strangely warm he was, the softness of his clothes and the touch of his long hair. It was like a dream, and she was secretly enjoying it.  
“Very well, please go and help Rider, we’ll follow you” Darnic asked. Vlad nodded once and hit his horse with the ankles. He was being honest about not riding in a nice way, Regina felt like she could be throw off of the horse if she wasn’t careful, and held harder of Vlad’s torso, hiding her face in fear.   
After a while, a whistle announced they entered the forest, and the horse pace was getting a little slow.   
“Darnic thinks I’m as innocent as some of you, but I know why he wanted you to come with me.”   
Regina lifted her head. Vlad sounded a little… bothered.  
“What do you mean, my lord?”  
“It’s obvious he still insists on make you my main source of energy… by any method. I don’t need such thing, for I already receive the magical energy of you both. Besides, if I took you a little of you in this moment, you surely would faint, I can sense you’re tired yet.”  
“I don’t think master Darnic looked the things in that way…” Oh, of course he was, she thought, he still wanted her to make a sacrifice for the family, one she hasn’t already done, and Darnic wasn’t a man who had patience enough for that sort of behavior.  
Suddenly, Vlad pulled the horse’s reins, and squinted his eyes through the green and black scenario.  
“Here it is…”   
They heard a sharp, maniac laugh. Vlad extended one arm and a bunch of stakes grew through the path. The laugh stopped, followed by a painful grunt, and the rest of the stakes vanished in the air, just as quick as they appeared.   
“You better not get off of the horse now, Regina” Vlad said “This Berserker isn’t defeated yet…”   
“I won’t… Lancer?”  
“Hmm?”  
Regina moved the mouth without saying a single word. She had a question deep in her guts, a question she didn’t feel prepared to make in the castle, but they were alone in the forest, and Darnic and the rest weren’t there yet. She sighed.  
“Aren’t you angry towards master Darnic anymore? I mean… you know, for the… thing…”  
Vlad snorted, looking at the distance.   
“Is a Servant allowed to get angry towards their Master? Yes, probably, as long as their Master is acting against their priorities and good well. No, I’m not angry anymore, just worried his avarice can destroy what he has built through all this weeks.”  
“But if he tried to do something… something that’s actually pretty bad for someone, and he’s doing it on purpose…”  
“What do you mean? Speak clear…”  
In that moment, some brunches crunched under the feet of Darnic, Celenike and Roche. Regina kept quiet on the horse, looking at Darnic who smiled at her.   
“Very good, now let’s see this vicious Berserker…” the Yggdmillenia patriarch commanded, and the group moved through the trees.  
The huge figure of Berserker of Red was caught by stakes that pierced through his body, but despite the fact of being in that problem he was still smiling, fighting to free himself.  
“Oh, I smell the oppressor!” he yelled, his eyes moving through the group. “Come at me, oppressor and I shall grant you with my affective rage!”  
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that” Vlad replied, moving his hand towards Berserker. A new bunch of stakes appeared and the massive man ended up like a ragdoll, both Darnic, Caster and Vlad went towards Berserker.  
“What a pity” Darnic murmured, stretching a hand and barely touching Berserker’s face “Such a magnificent strength, and for that? To release a savage idiot like this. Now then, Caster, I’ll need your help, I want to force a deal with this Servant…”  
In that moment, a crunch was the only warning for the three men. Darnic managed to scape on time, but not Caster, who was hit by a hand of the Berserker, who freed from the ground though the stakes were still encrusted in his body.   
“Master!” Roche cried, running in direction of Caster. Vlad reacted quickly, lifting one hand.  
“Kazik…” started before being attacked by the furious Berserker, and if he hasn’t been more fast, the huge man would have caught him in his hand.  
“I’ll crush you, oppressor!” Berserker chanted happily, moving towards Vlad.   
“Damn it!” Lancer grunted, searching for his spear, ready to fight. But then… something moved behind him, light and fast as a snake, and heard a soft voice yelling:  
“Rue de Rose!”  
Berserker found himself trapped in what seemed a green neat, but was in fact a lot of twisted stems, covered on spines, and crowned by tiny roses which opened around Berserker’s face. Vlad and the rest of the group stared at Regina, which hand was shining due to the use of her special spell.   
Berserker barked a laugh.  
“Do you think this can stop me?” and without any effort he moved and the stems fell onto the floor.   
“Kazikli Bey…”  
A huge bunch of stakes appeared, capturing Berserker once again. Regina moved and faced the monstrous Servant, despite Darnic and Vlad yelled a warning. She extended her hand to his smiling face and a lonely, enormous rose of dark red color appeared, expelling a scent of the same color. The giant laughed and, without warning, moved one hand and pushed the girl aside. Regina fell a few meters away, and Darnic ran onto her.  
“Regina!” he yelled in panic. Lancer walked towards them and kneeled until his hand went to her face, without touching it.  
“She’s fine, the hit was very weak… which means…”  
Both men lofted their heads and looked at Berserker. The creature hung motionless on the stakes, and his eyes were white as the moon. Caster approached carefully, making a quick inspection, and announced:  
“He has fainted.”  
“Yes…” Darnic looked at the dying rose on Regina’s hand. “It’s part of her spell, she can use those roses to expel a powerful sleeping draught, but, being able to knock out a Servant in that way…”  
“We should be thankful with the fact that her spell worked, if he hit her with all his strength she would be hurt or dead” Vlad grunted, moving along. “You can do your move now, Darnic.”  
“May I ask you a last favor?” the blue haired man lifted Regina into his arms. “Can you take her back to the castle?”   
Regina moved with a soft moan, her eyes half opened.  
“Hmm… master Darnic…”  
“Don’t worry, my dear, you’re safe. You did a great job with that Servant, I’m very proud of you.” And then Darnic headed to the other members of the family “You better take this as a lesson, you can make a huge effort with your powers, doesn’t mind if you come from a defeated family or a marginal clan, you can still do your best and become a first class magician, just like Regina…”  
“Or we can learn not to be a stupid and face a Servant alone” Celenike growled.  
“I’m sorry, master Darnic… I just wanted…” Regina murmured.  
“I know, my dear, I’m not angry with you. Now, Lancer, can you help me with that favor?”  
“No problem, as long as she can ride”.  
“I don’t think so…”  
“I can, master Darnic…”   
With a lot of difficulties Regina was lifted on the horse again, and held to Lancer before moving back to the Yggdmillenia’s castle. But before getting out of the forest, her arms failed and started to fall. Lancer caught her just in time, stopping the race and looking at her in obvious annoyance.  
“I see stupidity runs in the family” Lancer barked, his arm firmly tight around Regina’s waist. She gave him a confused look. “How could you think you were able to fight against a Servant? You could have lost your life in that silly attempt to be a hero or whatever you were trying to do…”  
“No… I wasn’t trying to be… I just wanted to help… He was already over you, and I… wanted to give you time… That’s what Masters do, don’t they? They come and help their Servants, not with energy only but with their magic and protection…”  
For a few seconds, Vlad’s face softened, his eyes searching for Regina’s in a strange grimace, but then shook his head and frowned.  
“You’re not my Master, at least not completely. You don’t have that responsibility on your shoulders.”  
Regina lowered her head, she started to feel tears trying to escape from her eyes.  
“Forgive me, my lord…”  
“Well, there’s nothing we can do… Now, then…” Vlad managed to put Regina in front of him, and the young woman sat towards him. “Can you hold yourself?”   
In answer, Regina put her arms around Vlad’s shoulders. The horse moved again, but she noticed they were moving more slow this time, slow enough to look at the field bathed in the moonlight.  
The evening had a lot of surprises for the family, and when was almost dawn and the sky was painted with a grey purple color, Regina received a visit. Darnic appeared in the door, visibly tired but smiling, his cape hanging from a shoulder carelessly.  
“Forgive me for waking you so soon” he murmured. Regina shook her head.  
“It’s okay, my lord. Could you capture Berserker as you wanted?”  
“Yes, but also lost one homunculus. We cannot understand how happened, but that little rogue escaped with the help of Rider and now he’s going to who knows where along with Ruler.”   
“I’m sorry about that.”  
“Oh, don’t worry…” Darnic took a seat close to the bed. Regina felt a little uncomfortable, Darnic wasn’t used to talk to none family member in their rooms. “I just wanted to say I’m still surprised by the way you stopped that Berserker without help, you’re truly a powerful magician now.”  
“It’s all thanks to your lessons, my lord” she bowed her head a little.  
“Yes, but is also part of your nature, you have a special talent, my dear, and I cannot believe I didn’t notice it until now. I always thought you were born for big things, but never though how big they would be, sometimes I regret not letting you be the Master of Lancer, he needs a lot of energy I cannot provide by myself if I wanted him to be the winner in this war.”  
“But, my lord, we already give him all of our energy together.”  
“That’s what I wanted to talk you about.” Darnic leaned a little on the bed, his eyes softly shadowed by his hair. “Lancer needs a special sort of Master, and I can provide it successfully until a certain point. The family needs a leader, someone who’s able to guide them trough this moments of darkness, but also inspire them to do their best.”  
“You’re a magnificent leader, my lord, I don’t think the Yggdmillenia could find a better one.”  
Darnic laughed, his features softened and made him look more handsome than usual.  
“You flatter me… I’m aware of that, of course, but one good leader would never rule alone, they always need a right hand, someone they can trust, someone who can become their equals…”  
“Miss Fiore is a good magician…”  
“Yes, but she’s part of the family. I must be honest, I thought she was the best choice for a new leader when I wasn’t able to do it anymore, but now I think…” and Darnic moved towards Regina until their faces were only separated by a few centimeters, his deep eyes searched for hers in a new light, like it was the first time he was truly looking her “…I just found a better option for that dilemma.”  
“I… still don’t get it…”  
“Regina, I want you to rule this family… with me.”  
The magician’s heart made a bump. Was he talking about what she thought?  
“My lord…”  
“I want you to marry me, Regina. Together, we can bring both the Yggdmillenia and the Sangnight back to the glory stolen by those imbeciles of the Magic Association. Think about it, isn’t it the best way to unify our families under a lone symbol and a common cause?”  
Regina lowered her head, looking at her trembling hands. A marriage, she would never dreamed of that, and least in those precise circumstances. Darnic took her hands into his, searching for her face and smiling in a seductive way.  
“Together, we can be more powerful than any family of the Clock Tower, we can win this war and I’ll share the Grial with you and you only.”  
“But, the family…”  
“The family wants the same as I, my dear, it won’t affect their needs, but you, as the matriarch of this new Association, you can have your wish come true, you can save your family from the opprobrium and shame… Isn’t it what your heart desires the most?”  
He misunderstood her completely, yes, she loved her family, but if she had the chance, she could ask to the Grial for a very different wish. Drowned in her thoughts she must looked submissive, for Darnic felt more confident and continued:  
“If you accept my purposal, I shall write to your family right now and announce the compromise this same evening. We’ll marry as soon as possible, and then, I’ll share my command spells with you, and we’ll bring our Lancer to the victory.”  
Lancer, at the mention of him Regina’s eyes came back to life. She looked beyond Darnic’s illusions and remembered Vlad’s figure illuminated by the candles of the castle and the moon. He was a real leader, always honest, always ready to fight, the first in the charge and the last in the retreat, he was sincere with her from the beginning, because she knew, she knew to accept Darnic’s intentions would traduce in being her slave, not her wife, nor her equal, but another step to his search of power. Lancer didn’t deserve such Master, who was more than ready to betray anyone around him, even… even his faithful Servant.  
“I think… I think I need a little more time…” she answered at last. Darnic didn’t seemed pleased.  
“I’ll remind you you’re not part of this family, not before and not now, and your position in this place is in utterly danger. There’s not a lot of good magicians in this place besides Fiore, who’s still too young to understand the meaning of carry such responsibility, and Gordes who’s a complete idiot.”  
That’s it, the wolf showed his fangs, Regina thought. She sighed and murmured, not convinced of her words but thinking quick how to deal with that later.  
“You’ve been such a good teacher with me and a tender guardian. I shall not find a better way to thank you than accepting your proposal, but please…”  
“Please?”  
“Can you just… not announce it to the family yet? I’d like to give it a little more time…”  
“War hasn’t truly started yet, we should do this quickly before it becomes harder.”  
“I know, but my lord…” Regina choose her words carefully “if we announce this at the beginning of the war, they may feel this is too… hurried and we don’t want them to feel… well, less prepared for their own bargains with their Servants… I will provide Lancer of my magical energy from now, just as you desire, but please, I’d like to make this slowly, and besides… we just haven’t acted like nothing more but teacher and apprentice.”  
Darnic smiled again, leaning his head to one side, the first sunrays started to find their way through the drapes.  
“I don’t see why not start acting in a… different way, as you claim, I shall let three nights from now to make the announce if it pleases you.”  
“If that’s what my lord wants… I will accept it.”  
“Excellent” Darnic leaned and kissed Regina’s forehead, sniffing her hair in a curious way. “I must go now, we have some problems to deal with. Take a rest, I shall send a homunculus to bring you breakfast in a couple of hours, you’re still too weak.”  
Darnic left the room, and Regina sat on the bed, unable to sleep again. She looked at her left hand, imagining a ring around her finger. And then she thought, with a painful pressure in her stomach, that chains were, like a ring, rounded too.


	4. The knight and the queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loyalty doesn't mean the same for everyone.

The man’s hand went in search of the glass again, staring at the dark liquid in it with a grimace. It seemed Gordes hadn’t slept in at least one whole day.  
“Why… oh, why” he muttered to himself, drinking empty the glass. Regina tried to not to make eye contact with him, burying her nose in the pages of an Alchemy book just in order to keep some distance, not with Gordes but Darnic. Faithful to his plan, he started to invite her more often to simple tasks such as walking around the castle and visiting Roche and Caster in their dungeon. Sometimes Darnic touched Regina’s shoulder in a manner that looked casual, but the continue physical contact developed in an obvious attempt to receive the same, and she felt forced to answer with tiny gestures such as touching his hand for a few seconds, when nobody was around.  
“And why are you here?” Gordes voice seemed to come from nowhere, and Regina found him looking at her with red eyes.   
“If you want to be alone I shall go, mister Gordes” she replied, standing up.  
“No way… I didn’t meant that” a thick hand made a sober wave. “You… must feel lucky right now, for not being into this stupid Servants business”.  
“I don’t feel lucky for that. I’m sorry for your loss, I do hope there’s something master Darnic can do.”  
“He won’t lift a thumb for me!” Gordes growled, rushing to refill his glass. “Didn’t you hear him? He’s so disappointed for how I managed the situation… what a bastard! As he could have made a better work…with the beast of Saber nobody’s good enough, not even him, I assure you.”   
The man drank again, and Regina fixed her eyes on his hand. The last trace of Command Seals was still visible, perhaps because there was still a chance to get a new Servant since actually one was available (the rabid Berserker of Red).   
“Mister Gordes, how does the Command Seals work? What I mean… when you don’t have a Servant” she asked. The man grunted.  
“A Masterless Servant can reach a new one, but it must be quick since they’re spirits and cannot survive a lot of time without one… on the other hand, sometimes Masters can get a new Servant if there’s one available, and then they must do a new contract. That’s it.”  
“But… what about a Servant who has a Master already? What if he… was forced to change? Or what if two persons share the same Command Spells?”  
“That’s madness! There must be always one Master for one Servant. If such situation happens, then one of the named Masters must give up or… die”. Gordes’s eyebrows arched. “Unfortunately this Command Spell won’t see the light of another battle and will vanish in a few days more. Darnic said he won’t let me have another Servant, even if that means they must disappear due to the loss of their Masters. That’s how he punishes me for the audacity of that stupid Saber, with humiliation…”  
An idea started to shine in the mind of the magician girl, as she stood at the Command Seal.   
“I’d wish I could do something to help you, mister Gordes” she whispered with her nicest voice. “Sometimes we cannot have the full control of things around us, this is a war, after all.”  
“Yes… You’re right, Regina…” Gordes tried to shut a burp, and moved nervously on his seat. “Forgive me, but I’d like to have… a moment for myself.”  
“Of course. Thanks for your help, it is always wonderful to hear the knowledge of a well prepared magus” Regina left the room, knowing deep in her guts Gordes would take her words very seriously.  
The situation with Berserker of Red made everyone aware of the future movements of his faction, and it meant more work for everyone. Rider had his punishment done, but still Celenike sent him to surround the castle on his flying beast every certain time, making Regina lost her only excuse to escape from Darnic’s sight. Now she was sitting at the living room with her superior, playing chess and talking about nothing.  
“The loss of the homunculus had affected our Caster more than I imagined. Such a pity, to see our best weapon being freed for a mere hole in the rules” the blue haired man moved a piece on the table.  
“Perhaps if Caster didn’t monopolize all the homunculus, we could do better in this war” Regina replied, looking at the pieces carefully.  
“We must do whatever is in our hands to help our Servants. But let’s stop this talk, I want to speak about… nicer things.”  
The deep purple eyes of Darnic found Regina’s, and she felt flustered.  
“What do you want to talk about, master?” she asked, moving a horse towards the table.  
“What do you think, my dearest? The engagement, the dawn of a new magical faction whom won’t be smashed for the greedy circle of the Asociation. I know there haven’t passed the three nights I suggested, but… the War goes on, and so shall we.”  
The Black Queen moved towards the White Horse of Regina. She frowned.  
“I’d like to write to my family about this” she concluded, putting her horse on a run. “I think they must listen to it from my… lips, if you permit me.”  
“I don’t see a reason to not let you to. But that means we must do the same for our family. What about tomorrow night? We can make a small dinner to make the announcement.”  
The Queen kept going for the Horse. Regina moved a Tower to make a wall between her and the white piece.  
“Shouldn’t we wait for my family’s answer, master?”  
Darnic snorted, a sharp smile curving his lips.  
“What for? They won’t refuse this union, they want the same as us after all, and if a marriage is the right way to reach it…” the man moved a Bishop, facing the White King. “Sacrifices must be done, in love and war. Check”.  
Regina stared at the table, pretending to search for a savior move. In fact she was, but not for the chess game. She bit her lip, frustrated for the alley which Darnic pushed her.  
“And all sacrifices are the same, master?” She moved her Tower back to the King just to gain time.   
“It depends of which kind of sacrifices, my dear.”  
“It is worthy to betray if that means to get a better position?”  
Darnic kept going with his Queen.  
“What do you mean, Regina? It is something bothering you?”  
The young woman made a grin.  
“I believe none of the other Masters have a… plan B if they have problems with their Servants. Just look at mister Gordes…”  
“He didn’t have a plan, of course, he trusted in his own arrogance and lost everything for that. I’m not an arrogant, I have fought in a war before and I do know the sort of risks surrounding us.”  
“That’s why you want to rush the marriage, don’t you, master?” Regina lifted a pawn, and her wrist was caught by Darnic’s hand. He was still smiling, but his visage turned darker than before.  
“It’s just the half of the reason, Regina”. The woman didn’t make a move, her pulse rushing as Darnic seemed too much into staring at her with that… feral look. The pawn rested next to the King, even when he was a small menace from its place.  
“…Check” Regina muttered. Darnic didn’t even looked at the table.  
“Check, in fact”. Regina’s hand stretched as Darnic pushed it to his face, placing a kiss on the knuckles. The girl gulped, deviating her sight. “It seems you need to… adapt quickly to the relentlessly”.  
A vibration of magical energy warned them of the sudden presence of Lancer. Regina took that moment to free her hand from Darnic and both lifted their heads to the Servant.   
“Darnic, it is important to inform you that Saber of Red has moved again. She’s probably getting closer to us right now”.  
“Don’t you still have a clue of where is she and her Master hiding?” Darnic asked. Vlad shook his head.  
“Wherever they are, it must be a hard magic establishment for not even Archer can get to them.”   
“I see… We must tell Rider to keep an eye on the outskirts.”  
“Very well…” Vlad approached the table, looking at the pieces. Regina made a movement on her sit, feeling awkard, she haven’t spoke with the Servant since he carried her back to the castle on the Berserker mission.   
“By the way, my lord, I would like to discuss a situation with you in another moment.”  
“Why not now?” Lancer asked.  
“It’s not an urgent task and, besides…” Darnic extended a hand to Regina “I’m spending some nice time with my…” Regina tensed in her seat, if Darnic said the magic words her world would fall into pieces “dearest pupil”.   
Vlad gave a glimpse to Regina, the way he looked at her was filled with horrible thoughts for her, like he could read her and Darnic’s mind or, at least, to presage what was going on.  
“Then I shall wait tonight, Darnic, but not more.”  
“Of course, my lord, thank you for your patience”. Darnic smiled like a loyal dog, making Regina felt like a rock in her stomach. How could he being so hypocrite towards the Servant he was thinking of discharge if… that meant the victory for him?   
Vlad took a white piece, a Bishop, and pushed it in front of the Black King.  
“Check mate” announced, drawing a tiny smile to his lips. Darnic laughed at the audacity.  
“Magnificent, though it could have been better if our little Regina made it for herself.”   
Vlad bowed and disappeared once again. Regina sighed.  
“It seems Lancer dislikes my presence.”  
“It cannot be, and even if that was true…” Darnic waved a hand an showed is Command Seals “I can make him more kind towards you… But I’d better not be wasting my spells with such useless matters. Another round?”  
“I’d like to rest a little, master, I haven’t recovered my energy yet.”  
“You’re right. Have a nice evening, Regina, tomorrow shall be a great day for us.”  
Before reaching the door, Regina turned her head to Darnic.  
“Master, is it true that Saber of Red may be related to king Arthur?”  
“Is a theory Caster has said, but who knows… She fights more like a Berserker than a proper knight.”  
“Could she be his best knight… Lancelot?”  
“I don’t think so. You know his story.”  
“Yes… He was a faithful knight, and king Arthur ordered him to protect his bride Genevieve”.  
“But lust won the war on them and betrayed their king. Such a disgrace, and that’s why every ruler must have a plan in order to prevent this kind of things to happen.”  
Regina nodded, not actually convinced of that words. Lancer of Black would never betray his Master for he was wise and brave. Darnic, on the other side… what kind of monstrosity was preparing against his loyal Servant and how could she be part of it, as she started to suspect?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the HUUUUUGE hiatus in this, but work became harder this year.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I'm a byatch for uncle Vlad. Just to point, original character Regina Sangnight is 20 years old, so, it's not like actual underage relationship despite Darnic has more than 60 years and Vlad is a spirit from the XIV century? Dunno.


End file.
